How much time should pre-school, young school age children, and teens spend on video/computer games?

Parents, grandparents, and other adults should be monitoring the time and content of these games.

1. Under the age of 2, young children should not be watching computer and video games. Their brains are in the early stages of development.

2. Early Childhood suitable for ages 3-5 a flexible time of 30-45 minutes per day. Parental guidance is suggested.

3. Everyone-ages 6 and older. Subject may include cartoons, mild or fantasy violence and mild language. 1/2 to 1 hour per day. Parental guidance is suggested.

4. Everyone 10 and older, may have more fantasy violence, cartoons, and possible suggestive themes. 1 hours per day

5. Teens 13 years and older. Suggestive themes, more violence, inappropriate humor, some blood, possible gambling, questional language. 1 hour per day

6. Mature 17 years and older. More violence, very graphic, inappropriate content. Limit of 1 to 1 1/2 hours per day

7. Adults Only- 18 years and older. Excessive violence, profanity, and extreme inappropriate behavior. 1 to 2 hours

8. RP-Rating Pending. Game has been submitted to ESRB and are awaiting rating.

These times are some basic suggestions. Computer/video games should be used as a reward after the child/teen has completed their homework and chores. Computer/video games should be played in a public place in the home.

More that 70% of our young population watches approximately 4 hours of media, television, textmessaging, and computers a day. Watching media may cause C.V.S, Computer Vision Syndrome. The symptoms include; eye strain, possible loss of some focus, and headaches.

Use of computer/video games may cause loss of some gross motor skill, tennis elbow, and obesity. The use of Computer/video games may tend to isolate players from friends, school, and society.